Can you tell me your name and a little about where you grew up?

  - My name is Robert Hildebrand; I was born in December of 1988, and I grew up in Antioch, Illinois until I was 16 years old.  I would later move to an area just outside of Las Vegas and graduated from Pahrump Valley High School in 2007. After high school, I enlisted in the United States Marine Corps and went off to basic training in San Diego later that summer. I’ve always enjoyed just going fishing while living in Illinois and played some sports in middle school and high school. 

What is your rank/title? 

- My current rank is Gunnery Sergeant, and I’m serving as the Operations Team Lead for the Amphibious Combat Vehicle New Equipment Training Team.

What inspired you to join the military?

• I’ve always felt that the military was the route I was going to go at some point in my life. It really became a big option for me when I was a senior in high school. I felt that college wasn’t for me at that time in my life, mainly because I was over going to class all the time. I also just wanted to get away from the area I was living because there really wasn’t anything going for me in the Las Vegas area. I also wanted to learn some skills and get some life stories and experience that would help me later in life.  

If you served in a war, what war did you serve in?

• I served in Operation Enduring Freedom, in Helmand Providence, Afghanistan where I took part in combat operations in the city of Marjah from April 2010- September 2010.

What was a normal day like for you in the military?

• Normal day to day life in the military is no different than working a normal 9-5 job for someone who isn’t in the military. Pretty much after you get out of basic training and all the other training you’ll get within your first year, it slows down. But it can get busy if you are about to leave on a deployment or if you are on a deployment.

What is the hardest part of being in the military?

• The hardest part can be the long hours when work gets busy, or when you are away from your family. But the down time I do have, I try to make up for the times I missed with my wife and son.

What is something you are really proud of from your service?

• I’m really proud of the work I did while I was deployed in Afghanistan. I wanted to make a difference for the people of that country and serve my country and do it in the place where the September 11th attacks were planned from. Also, the older I get the more I spend mentoring younger Marines on making life choices and helping them succeed in life.

Have you made close friends while you were serving?

• I’ve made a lot of friends while serving. Most of them I stayed in contact with throughout the years. That is also one great thing about the military.  You get to meet so many people from all walks of life, from different upbringings, and you are all there for a common goal and purpose. 

How has being in the military changed you?

• Being in the military has changed me for the better. It gave me structure in my life as well as discipline. I’ve been able to work on being a leader and influence others around me and gave me a sense of pride and knowing that I’m part of something that’s bigger than just me.

What important lesson(s) have you learned while serving?

• Lessons that I’ve learned are that teamwork is big. I can’t do it all on my own; I have to have trust in my team and know that they have my back, and I also have theirs. Also being flexible. At times the plan isn’t going to work, and you can’t be afraid of thinking of a new plan and carrying it out on the fly. 

What do you want kids today to know about being in the military?

• Don’t be afraid to look into the military when you are looking at that next step after high school. You can learn some great life skills and gain experience in a wide range of job fields. There's a lot that the military can do for young people, it's not all about going off to war and fighting and never being home. There's a lot of value in serving and don’t be afraid of talking to a military recruiter and hearing what the military can do for someone and how they can help you achieve your goals in life.

How do you stay connected with other veterans?

• Just sending a simple text message to my buddies is the easiest way for me. And every now and then I would run into someone I served with and would just talk.

What does being a veteran mean to you?

• Service. Being able to serve others and being able to do this so others don’t have to. I have great pride in what I do and continue to do. Being able to uphold our values of what it is to be an American and fighting for what it means to be an American is something I’m proud to say that I’ve done.